Sony Ericsson announced two new phones today under their music-centric Walkman line. Called the Sony Ericsson Zylo and Sony Ericsson Spiro W100, both devices sport a vertical slider form factor and social networking integration, to go with the PMP-like capabilities.

Designed to be "affordable without compromising on features," the pair comes with all of the Walkman brand's familiar strengths - a robust music player, TrackID, an FM tuner and access to the PlayNow music store. Taking things a step further, they go heavy on the social networking too, providing built-in integration with both Facebook and Twitter.

On the higher-end of the scale, the Sony Ericsson Zylo features a 2.6 inch display (320 x 240 resolution), a 3.2 megapixel camera with video recording, accelerometer sensor, aGPS, HSDPA, stereo Bluetooth, 260MB of internal memory and microSD card support (up to 16GB). It comes teeming with software features too, including Google Maps, MS Exchange ActiveSync, Google Search, NetFront browser, 3D gaming, YouTube, Flickr, Picasa and more. Support for the lossless FLAC format debuts on this phone, which will be available in either black, silver or pink colors.

The lower-end Sony Ericsson Spiro, on the other hand, features a 2.2 inch screen (320 x 240 resolution), a 2.0 megapixel camera module with video recording, GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity, stereo Bluetooth and microSD card support. Apart from being a decent PMP, it can double as a torch light too. It will be available in two shades of black (Contrast and Stealth), pink and green.

Both music handsets will hit stores in the third quarter. No details on pricing, but the "affordable" comment on the press release gives me hope.

[Sony Ericsson]

Available as part of the eco-friendly GreenHeart line, the Sony Ericsson Elm goes where few green-minded phones dare venture: coming packed with useful features. While it won't challenge some of the company's more robust models, it does come with a number of capabilities that make it an attractive choice among users looking for just a little more than the basics.

Physically, it sports a candybar form factor with sharp angular corners and a curved back panel that makes it easier to hold in your hand. The design is very traditional, with a small 2.2-inch screen (320x240 resolution) and T9-style keys. Display is actually very good, with sharp lines and a nice color, while the rubbery, curved buttons make for very comfortable typing. The handset itself is made from recycled plastics, but it does feel quite sturdy.

As a phone, the Elm makes for above average calls, with clear voices coming through on both ends of the line. Sony Ericsson utilizes their new "noise shield" technology on this phone, which works to filter background sound, allowing for clearer conversations to come through. I have to say that it works, with folks on the other end reporting good sound even while I made the calls from a busy location. Battery life is decent, lasting a likely two or three days on normal use.

Intended as a "green" handset, it comes with a slew of eco-friendly features, some of which can border on the annoying, such as the nag screen telling you to unplug your phone and the constant drop into sleep mode. The "green" apps are quite gimmicky and are only likely to turn off more users.

Fortunately, that's not all there is. Apart from the usual basics (messaging, PIM tools), it comes with aGPS (along with Wisepilot, Google Maps and NearMe), a full HTML browser (with both 7.2Mbps HSDPA and WiFi), a number of social netwoking widgets, Bluetooth and a 5.0 megapixel camera module. The camera is particularly good, managing decent-looking photos. Music playback quality is impressive, as it's right up there with Walkman phones. Unfortunately, they saw fit to burden the device with a proprietary jack.

Overall, the Sony Ericsson Elm is a good phone. While I doubt serious treehuggers buy into this eco-phone business, the handset does bring plenty of higher-end features to complement it. Priced between $250 to $300 unlocked, it's not bad. Considering what's already available out there at the same price range, though, it could be a tough sell.

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Sony Ericsson may have faltered in recent years, but their first Android smartphone, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, is a serious effort worth looking into. Armed with top-flight hardware, excellent UI and generous feature set, it's certainly a solid offering.

Physically, it's quite big. While it can cram into your jeans pocket, to call it uncomfortable will be an understatement. The overall look is great, punctuated by sturdy construction and a good feel in hand (thanks, according to Sony, to the curved face design). Because of the size, it fits in a huge display - a whopping 4-inch touchscreen with 854x480 resolution. Images look gorgeous and the touch interface is very responsive, easily making it one of the best touchscreens we've used among the Android set.

As a phone, call quality is decent. It's far from being the best, but everything sounds clear on both ends. At higher volumes, though, you can find a noticeable distortion. The speakerphone performed similarly, with plenty of loudness to go. Battery life is rated at 8 hours and we've been able to take it for almost two days of moderate use without fully draining yet.

Armed with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, the X10 runs very fast. Apps opened quickly and navigation is smooth. It supports both 3G and WiFi so expect fast browsing. Do note that the phone uses a proprietary UI called UXP, which is the main reason why it's still running Android 1.6. The main draw is a Motoblur-like application called Timescape, which would have been great, but, for some reason, tends to miss updates every now and then. Whether it's an issue with spotty connection or a bug isn't clear to us.

It comes with all of Android's vaunted strengths, including messaging, Google integration and all that jazz. Outlook support isn't built in, but is easy enough with the bundled Moxier app. Sony Ericsson threw in an excellent onscreen QWERTY keyboard for emails, but made it inaccessible for SMS, which just sucks. There are a number of useful preinstalled apps too, such as the OfficeSuite file manager and Wisepilot.

Like many of their higher-end devices, the company equipped the X10 with a high-res optics module. The 8.1 megapixel camera takes good photos, although it's still not as great as the best we've seen from the Cybershot line. We love the music and video player (Mediascape), which is truly a notch above the media experience from other Android phones. The interface is attractive and it offers a slew of add-on features.

Overall, we love the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10. While sticking with Android 1.6 is a bit of a disappointment, the positive UI experience and additional integrated features (i.e. Timescape, Mediascape) somewhat makes up for it. Expensive, though, at around $700 or higher unlocked.

Sony Ericsson was among the first manufacturers to try and take advantage of the gaming potential in cellphones.  Unfortunately for them, the iPhone ended up being the platform that showed everyone how to do it right.  The Sony Ericsson Yari is the company's latest gaming-centric handset, integrating features such as gesture controls and other innovative ideas.   Of course, novel implementations never guarantee a good game.  So how does it fare?

Physically, it looks like a standard candybar slider.  Look closer, though, and you'll find two odd buttons on top, which are supposed to serve as extra controls that you can use when playing games. Overall build seems solid, the sliding mechanism feels sturdy and it's got relatively sexy looks too.

For a gaming phone, the Yari's screen is considerably small at only 2.4. inches.  While resolution is good (320 x 240) and colors are bright, the size seriously limits you enjoyment of even the most basic games.  Both the navigation buttons and keypad are flat, but they are responsive.

As a phone, it manages below-average calls.  Main culprit is a serious lack of volume, even at the highest loudness settings, although signal reception also wasn't the best.  Speakerphone was much better with plenty of loudness, but it suffers from the same reception problems.  Expect to charge the battery every night, as you should clean it out in a day and a half at most.

The Yari's biggest selling point are the gesture-based games, which uses the second camera to approximate the user's body in relation to the phone.   You'll have to prop it up in the included stand and perform motions ala Microsoft's Project Natal.  Unfortunately, the two titles pre-installed with support for the feature (Tennis and Fitness) are just downright plain.  There's iPhone-style motion gaming here too (Bowling and LocoRoco), which proved much more entertaining.  A few other more conventional games are on board, although we do wonder why none of them use the two "gaming" buttons that Sony added on the front panel.  Overall, the games are decent but nowhere near the experience you can get from an iPhone (especially considering that this phone isn't running a very fast processor) - a serious blow to the Yari's potential for success.

Despite the obvious lack of an actual shot at dominating the mobile gaming landscape, it does come with a smattering of good features: there's aGPS, a veritable kitchen sink of preloaded apps (from Facebook to Flickr to a pedometer to a torch app with SOS capabilities to a whole lot more), an FM tuner and 3G support (no Wi-Fi, though).   Surfing the web, however, isn't the best with the small screen and a sub-par browser on board.  Most pages loaded accurately, though.

It comes with a 5.0 megapixel camera module that offers an overwhelming amount of editing options (which is a good thing).  Unfortunately, no amount of tinkering can help with the fact that it only manages average-looking stills (and I'm being generous here).  Audio quality, on the other hand, is top notch, making this a great substitute for an actual Walkman phone.  The stereo speakers sound great.

Overall, the Sony Ericsson Yari is packed to the brim with features.  Unfortunately, throwing in the kitchen sink doesn't necessarily make a great phone.  If the feature set is a good match for what you're looking for, you may like it, though.

Described as a "business partner with a conscience," the Sony Ericsson Aspen received its introduction yesterday.  What's up with that "conscience" thing?  Well, the business-oriented smartphone comes in as a part of Sony Ericsson's GreenHeart line, which primps environmentally-conscious features on top of your regular productivity package.

Taking a page right out of the S60-based E-Series, the handset bears all-too-obvious physical similarities with the Finnish company's popular business handheld, the Nokia E72.  Not that there's anything wrong with that - especially when executed this well (in the looks department, at least).

The Sony Ericsson Aspen boasts both a QWERTY keyboard and a resistive touchscreen atop its candybar frame.  Display measures 2.4 inches, with 240 x 320 resolution.  It uses a similar panels-based UI as the Xperia X2 (with plenty of preinstalled choices), allowing you to change the look and presentation of the homepage on the fly.

Details of the device include a 3.2-megapixel camera, aGPS, stereo Bluetooth, FM radio, support for both 3G and Wi_Fi, microSD card expansion (4GB included), a boatload of apps (Google apps, social messaging and more)  and the usual Windows Mobile niceties (Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, IE, Office Mobile).  It also comes with Sony Ericsson's Media Browser and Play Now features.  Being a GreenHeart phone, there's a good amount of eco-conscious fares too, including the GreenHeart panel, power-saving mode, Eco-mate app and power-saving accessories.

The Sony Ericsson Aspen is slated for availability in select markets beginning in the 2nd quarter.  It comes with a choice of two colors - iconic black or white silver.

[Press Release]

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 is only the second Windows Mobile phone from the manufacturer.  Like its predecessor, it comes with upmarket hardware, quality build and plenty of promise.  Whether it lives up to that promise, though, remains to be seen.

Physically, the side-slider sports angled corners and sharp lines, which makes it easily identifiable among today's army of curvy devices.  The front panel is gorgeous (with the navigation array really blending well with the bezel) and the whole device feels compact.

It sports a 3.2 inch resistive touchscreen (800x480 resolution) that looks remarkable even under sunlight.  The touch interface could use a little more sensitivity, though.  A full QWERTY keyboard slides out in portrait mode and it's a delight to use - very roomy, excellent travel and exceptional response.

As a phone, the Xperia X2 manages good calls.  Voices are clear and loud, although there is some noticeable sharpness on both ends (not too much to be a problem, though).    Speakerphone performed in the same manner, albeit with the sharpness being slightly more pronounced.   The battery should be enough to see you through one day of heavy use and, possibly, a day and a half for more moderate users.

The most disappointing thing for me is the fact that Sony Ericsson decided to leave the operating hardware the same as the X1.  That means it's running on a 528MHz processor, 256MB RAM and 512MB ROM - not the most high-end specs for a 2010 smartphone.  While it did manage Windows Mobile 6.5 decently (for the most part), you do get problems every now and again  (sluggishness and apps closing).  Like the X1, it also uses the company's Panel concept for the UI.  While it's definitely good, the resulting customizations lack the depth of what HTC and Samsung have done for their interfaces.

All of the usual smartphone fare is here: a revamped contacts application, excellent messaging support, standard PIM tools, advanced syncing capabilities and a slew of useful software - typical Windows Mobile fare.  It comes with both Wi-Fi and 3G, managing fast internet connections,although it uses IE as the default (you'll have to download Opera Mobile yourself).

The inclusion of an 8.0 megapixel camera makes this a serious phone for taking photos.  In fact, it's the only WM phone we know of with this advanced a camera module.  While there are plenty of editing settings, it is a bit on the slow side.  The resulting images are topnotch, though, so it redeems itself on quality.

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Promising high-end media playback, the device comes with native DivX/XviD support and 720p processing (which it can output to a TV).   While regular video and music are fantastic on the phone, getting it to process 1,280 x 800 files is a pain in the ass I'd rather not deal with.   This is an excellent media phone, just don't expect it to process HD comfortably.

Overall, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2  (priced between $750 to $850 unlocked) feels like a slightly improved version of the X1 - great multimedia, excellent keyboard and a well-rounded set of features.  Is that good enough in the current market, though, especially with the HTC HD2 selling at roughly the same price point?   We'll see.

Talk about horrible naming.  Sony Ericsson once had a phone rumored to be called Kurara.  Well, it's official now and, fortunately, has received a new moniker.  It's now called the Sony Ericsson Vivaz (which is a slight upgrade) and it comes with enough video capture prowess to make you question why you bought a Flip in the first place.

A full-fledged smartphone, the device runs Symbian S60 at the helm, which should ensure top-of-the-line messaging (IMAP, POP3, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange) and PIM tools.  Its biggest selling point, though, is the 8.1 megapixel camera module, which can shoot 720p videos for direct uploading to YouTube and Picasa, apart from offering image stabilization, smile recognition, continuous autofocus and geotagging.  It also adds a TV out so you can watch your library directly on a larger display.

Physically, it appears to foster similar lines to the Android-toting Xperia X10, measuring 4.21 x 2.04 x 0.49 inches.   Details include a 3.2 inch touchscreen display (360 x 640 resolution), aGPS, FM radio, stereo Bluetooth, microSD card expansion and a 1200 mAh battery.   It comes with both EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA 7.2 Mbit/s/HSUPA support and Wi-Fi connectivity, along with a full HTML browser.  For multimedia, it offers H.264 compatibility, among a laundry list of formats.

The Sony Ericsson Vivaz will come with the same custom theme as found on the Sony Ericsson Satio.  It's slated for a Q1 international release (selected markets), with unofficial pricing being pegged anywhere between $670 to $750.   It will come in four differently-colored variants - Silver Moon, Cosmic Black, Galaxy Blue and Venus Ruby.

[via Phone Arena]

Few brands ever manage to beat out Sony Ericsson when it comes to fashion phones.  Their latest, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness, aptly reinforces that fact, bringing an absolutely original and unique transparent display with it.

Those in the market for useful features shouldn't even bother looking here - this is strictly a show-off device.  If you believe that cellphones are for calling, texting and looking good, then this handset should be right up your alley.

Physically, it's a gorgeous phone - very stylish with sharp, angular lines and unusual design.  The see-through display is an absolute stunner, guaranteed to draw the attention of anyone who sees it.  Beyond the "wow" factor, however, it doesn't offer all that much.

First, the screen is only monochrome.  Second, it's tough to read (it actually works better in the dark because of the LED lighting around the screen).  Third, there's no privacy (I can read what you're typing from behind the phone).  The keyboard, which looks nothing more than a series of horizontal tiles, also isn't the most responsive.  It's a purely fashion handset for people who enjoy those things.

As a phone, it manages good calls, with natural sounding voices and ample volume.  Texting works fine, too, if you can read translucent monochrome (sarcasm).  The battery is good for 8 hours of talk time.

While the Xperia Pureness supports HSDPA speeds, using the browser is simply torture on the screen.  It should be good for broadband music streaming, though, which the handset easily manages.  Apart from 3G, it also comes with stereo Bluetooth, a 3.5mm audio slot and microSD card support.  There's no camera.

To make up for the lack of interesting phone features, Sony Ericsson is throwing in a full concierge service (one year membership via Quintessentially) with your purchase of the handset.  This actually turns out to be one of the more interesting bundles I've seen, as the price of the phone is at least a hundred bucks cheaper (depending on where you buy) than a year's membership with those guys.  Whether that's worth it, of course, depends on your interest in working with a concierge service in the first place.

Overall, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness (between $900 to $1200 unlocked, depending on retailers) is a purely luxury purchase, especially with a hard-to-use transparent screen as its main selling point.  If you think you can get more features for the same money elsewhere (you definitely can), then you're probably not its target audience.

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Sony Ericsson recently announced two new phones in their eco-friendly GreenHeart line, the Sony Ericsson Elm and the Sony Ericsson Hazel.  Like the rest of their similarly-branded models, both handsets are geared towards minimizing Co2 emissions and environmental footprints.

Green credentials for both devices include the use of recycled plastics for theirbody,  in-phone digital manuals, freedom from hazardous chemicals, waterborne paint, minimized packaging and a low-consumption bundled charger.  Onboard apps include the Walk Mate eco (an onboard pedometer that helps measure the environmental benefits you effect by walking) and a green calculator (for measuring your overall Co2 emissions).

Despite ably living up to the brand's green credentials, both the slider Hazel and candybar Elm come with a well-rounded set of features.  Specs are largely the same and the two, in fact, look similar, save for the form factor and screen size (2.6 inches for the Hazel and 2.2 inches for the Elm).  Each handset comes with a 5.0 megapixel camera, aGPS, a good amount of social networking and location-based apps, Sony Ericsson's various music-based niceties (PlayNow, TrackID), pre-installed NetFront web browser, dual band HSPA and microSD card support.

Along with the phones, Sony Ericsson also announced their very first accessory in the GreenHeart line - the VH700 Bluetooth headset.   As expected, it's minimally-packaged and uses recycled materials, apart from sporting dual mics and micro-USB charging.  According to the company, they intend to make all of their accessories GreenHeart-compliant by 2011.

[Press Release]

The Sony Ericsson Aino is an ambitious phone that tries to add new capabilities other handsets usually don't come with. It bears some very noticeable flaws, but its brave attempt at providing innovative features help it stand out from the pack.

While not exactly the PSP Phone everyone was hoping for, the handset does have a special relationship with the PS3. You can't use it to control games as earlier rumored, but you can turn the console ON and OFF from your phone. Streaming video and audio over cable works like a charm. You can also do it over 3G and Wi-Fi using the Remote Play feature although it's not that easy to configure (let's just say you'll do a lot of trial and error - mostly error).

Physically, the Aino is a beautiful phone with a very attractive design. The interface modes are also quite unique to the handset, mixing both touchscreen and non-touchscreen interfaces, depending on whether the keyboard is slid out or not. Like many Sony Ericsson handsets, the touch implementation is not that good, especially if you're used to better touch controls, such as those on the iPhone and Samsung's handsets.

As a phone, it manages average quality voice calls, with natural-sounding voices and little distortion. Speakerphone is also better than average. Battery life rating isn't stated, but it should be good for around two days of normal use.

The Aino is a feature-rich device, easily evidenced by reading through the specs list. Quite simply, it has everything you can ask for in a feature phone and more. Notables include a good number of useful apps (both pre-installed and downloadable from Sony Ericsson's app store), a decent (albeit, not full HTML) web browser, both 3G and Wi-Fi access, an onboard GPS and a very good music player. For the latter, do note that the phone doesn't have a 3.5 mm jack, but it does come with a wireless adapter. There's also a pretty powerful 8.1 megapixel camera with a huge amount of editing options, although quality of stills is largely average.

Overall, the Sony Ericsson Aino is an ambitious feature phone with some innovative talents. It doesn't always work as advertised, but is a good try nonetheless. It could use a bit of a price reduction, though.